Senate body demands national status for regional languages
ISLAMABAD: The members of senate committee on Law and Justice on Monday demanded of the federal government to amend the constitution for giving national language status to all regional languages.
The senate committee met under the chair of Sassui Palejo to review the proposed amendments in the Article 251 of the Constitution to promote regional langauges. He said it should be inserted that the national languages of Pakistan are Urdu, Punjabi, Sindhi, Pushto, Balochi and Seraiki.
Advisor to the prime minister on law barrister Zafarullah told that Urdu has been declared as national language adding that the respective provinces should take steps for the promotion of their regional languages. Earlier, citing constitutional impediments as reason, the federal law ministry has opposed a bill for teaching, promoting and using provincial languages in addition to the national language.
Aitzaz Ahsan said that the proposed amendment would strengthen federation. He said that Bangladesh would have not separated from us Bangali was given the status of national language along with Urdu.
Farooq H Naik said that if government not willing to give provinces its due rights then the federation should devolved into confederation. He said that the center need to help province to promote regional langauges. “We have to accept the status of our regional languages,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Senate Functional Committee on Human Rights, met here Monday with Senator Nasreen Jalil in the chair, unanimously passed ‘The Hindu Marriage bill, 2016’.
Senator Sitara Ayaz, Muhammad Mohsin Khan Leghari, Mufti Abdul Sattar, Nisar Muhammad, Aitzaz Ahsan, Farhatullah Baber, Dr.Ashok Kumar, Dr.Ramesh Kumar Vankwani and Dr.Darshan also attended the meeting.
Now Hindu marriages would be registered and separation cases could be resolved in the courts.
Ahtizaz Ahsan said, “There is no contradiction regarding the bill, this is right of minorities to live according to their religion. Shariat law is totally different from Hindu law and Islam give freedom to non-muslins.”
Dr Vankwani said, “There was no Hindu marriage law in the country for 66 years – the country’s leadership and all the political parties have done a commendable job,”.
The chairman expressed displeasure over not arresting all culprits of Ahmadi’s worship place attack incident, in village Dulmial district Chakwal.
Inspector General Police Punjab, gave the details of the underway investigation and told that the Canadian national Abdul Rasheed is also involve in this incident and we are trying to arrest him, some of the culprits have been arrested.
The committee also passed amendment bill regarding `The National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA).
An official of Ministry of human Rights briefed the committee regarding issues discussed in the last meeting that new jails are required in Karachi. Construction of a hospital is started in the premises of jails in which paramedics staff and doctors will be present all the time.
He told the committee that in the jails of Sindh new cameras have been installed.
He said there was a need of legal aid for the prisoners who were under trail and prisoners call office was also required so that they could talk to their legal experts.
He said, “some 18 missing persons have been recovered and rest would be recovered soon.”
The chair asked about the detail of the missing person and directed to report in the next meeting.
